Imagine this: it’s morning, and you’re striding from the tee towards a well-hit drive, when suddenly an unusual vice-like pain grips the centre of your chest, bringing you and your game to a halt. Days later, you’re undergoing open-heart surgery. This could be any one of us!
We spoke with Australian Senior Golfer (ASG) reader Mike Searles (MS) about his own recent experience.
ASG: Mike, how old are you?
MS: Sixty-six.
ASG: What happened?
MS: I was walking on the fairway towards my ball with my hand-pushed buggy in front of me. Suddenly, I felt different. A little short of breath. And then an unusual squeezing-like pain in the centre of my chest. It was enough for me to stop walking.
ASG: And then?
MS: Well, this is embarrassing. I didn’t mention it to any of the other players. Worse – I discounted the episode as indigestion or something similar.
ASG: You kept playing?
MS: Yes, I completed the round of 18 holes and felt exhausted. Yet again – I ignored the warning signs.
ASG: But you ended up in the hospital Emergency Department with more chest pain? When?
MS: Five days later.
ASG: Five days after the chest pain on the golf course?
MS: Yes. But the story gets worse. The first episode of chest pain on the course was on a Thursday. I played again the next day. On that day, I had another milder episode of the same pain. Then at home on the weekend, I was doing some simple gardening and had another attack. Each time I stupidly discounted the pain as being due to gastric reflux. The last thing on my mind was ‘heart attack’. Yet I did (thankfully) think on Sunday that I should visit my local doctor for a check-up. I booked an appointment for his next available time, which was the following Tuesday. Meanwhile, on Monday, I played golf and had another episode of chest pain.
ASG: The obvious question – why didn’t you get yourself straight to the hospital?
MS: Exactly! Why didn’t I? That’s a good question for your readers. “What SHOULD you do in the case of chest pain?” The answer from all the experts is, ‘call an ambulance’. And here’s what can go through our mind, ‘it’s probably nothing and I don’t want to hassle myself or anybody else’. Admittedly, I had such thoughts before I got to see my doctor.
ASG: So you got to see your doctor the following Tuesday. Then what?
MS: As I entered the doctor’s clinic, I was having a chest pain episode. This time it was more severe than any of the previous day’s episodes. The receptionist ushered me quickly into the treatment room. I was hooked up to an ECG machine. All the signs and symptoms pointed to a heart attack.
ASG: You were having a heart attack while at the doctor’s appointment?
MS: Literally. Though it wasn’t until further tests at the hospital that a ‘heart attack’ was confirmed. So I was taken from the doctor’s clinic to the local hospital Emergency Department. In a short time, I was admitted. The next morning I had a test called a coronary angiogram. The Heart Foundation describes the procedure as, “A test that takes X-ray pictures of the heart’s arteries and the vessels that supply blood to the heart. It may be done to investigate angina symptoms, or during or after a heart attack.” The angiogram revealed I had multiple blockages in the arteries of the heart which would require surgery. Open heart surgery. For those readers interested I had quadruple bypass surgery. That’s where the sternum (chest bone) is cut open, etc.
ASG: When was this?
MS: The surgery was mid-February this year (2024). I’m now at home and well on the right path to recovery. Though gently swinging a golf club is still a good month or two into the future.
ASG: By the way. What exactly is a ‘heart attack’?
MS: Quoting the Heart Foundation again, “A heart attack is a medical emergency. If you, or someone you know, are experiencing the warning signs of a heart attack, call Triple Zero (000) immediately and ask for an ambulance. A heart attack occurs when a coronary artery, which supplies blood to the heart, becomes blocked. The most common sign of a heart attack is chest discomfort or pain, which can spread to the arms, neck, jaw, or back. Chest discomfort or pain can last for several minutes or come and go. A heart attack requires emergency treatment to restore blood flow to your heart. One in five people don’t know the warning signs of a heart attack, which means many may not call Triple Zero on time. With someone hospitalised for a heart attack in Australia every 9 minutes, everyone needs to know the warning signs and what to do. Always call Triple Zero (000) immediately if you think you or someone else may be having a heart attack.”
ASG: Again, what are the warning signs of a heart attack?
MS: Common warning signs include chest pain, arm or shoulder pain, and shortness of breath. But some people feel sick, sweaty, dizzy, or have pain in their back, neck, or jaw.
ASG: Do you have anything specific to share with our readers about your experience?
MS: Yes, please. Whether you’re on the golf course or anywhere else. Regardless of how fit and well you THINK you are. If you experience chest pain call an ambulance. No ifs. No buts. No maybes. It could save your life. I count myself as one of the lucky ones. My cardiology surgeon put it more bluntly. He said in my case a few more ‘chest pain’ episodes while on the course or at home and I would have ended up having a major fatal heart attack. That’s because minor heart attacks are often a precursor to a major attack.
ASG: Mike, we’re glad you’re on the mend. Thanks for sharing your story.
Heart Foundation: https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/